Family and Locally Owned Business 2019

ALBANY DEMOCRAT-HERALD • CORVALLIS GAZETTE-TIMES • LEBANON EXPRESS • PHILOMATH EXPRESS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019

L

O

I

C

L

Y

&

L L Y

F A M

A

2019 O

W

NE

D BU

E N SI

S

S

Businesses & Dedicated Partners That Serve Our Community

2 | Wednesday, June 19, 2019

FAMILY AND LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESS

PROVIDED PHOTO‌

The Woodstock’s Pizza family celebrates its 40 years in the mid-valley. It’s gotten to the point where the eatery employs “legacy” workers — the children of people who worked there years before.

Doing pizza right for over 40 years Woodstock’s has been part of the community for decades KAY ROTH

Mid-Valley Media Group‌

‌W

hat started as a road trip from Colorado in a borrowed Volkswagen van over 40 years ago has become a Corvallis mainstay known as Woodstock’s Pizza. Chuck Woodstock wanted to open a business, He just wasn’t sure where, except he wanted to start in a college town. “When he drove into Corvallis, he knew this was the place,” said Carol Lee Woodstock, his spouse.

The original Woodstock’s Pizza was in an old bus barn in what is now a parking lot.

Carol Lee came on board in 1978. She did other jobs, including a stint at HewlettPackard, before taking over the business

when Chuck passed away in 1987.

Located at 1045 NW Kings Blvd in Corvallis, Woodstock’s prides itself in being a part of the community. In addition to listening to customers and what they like, Woodstock’s also supports community activities and events, especially those that focus on children, families and education.

According to the mission statement on the company’s website, “While those receive top priority in our consideration, we have been known to give to other causes if the budget allows and the pitch is outstanding. As one former employee was fond of saying, ‘You don’t know if you don’t ask.’”

The community has supported Woodstock’s over the years through their continued enjoyment of the restaurant’s pizza.

Community members also showed their support when Chuck passed away. “The community really rallied and supported me and Woodstock’s,” Carol Lee said.

In order to keep up with changing times, Woodstock’s has tried to evolve to include something for everyone’s taste. “We’ve always had whole-wheat crust,” Carol Lee explained. “Now, we’ve added gluten-free as well.” What started out as 14 toppings has grown to 33 toppings.

As the restaurant continued to expand, Woodstock’s has added three crust thicknesses and additional items as pizza toppings and for its custom-built salads. Additionally, there are dairy free and vegan options as well. Separate clearly marked utensils are used for these to ensure food safety. “If we are going to do it, we are going to do it right,” said Carol Lee. While Carol Lee enjoys seeing customers return again and again to enjoy the varieties of pizzas and salads Woodstock’s has to offer, she also enjoys seeing former employees succeed in their lives. Because she hires so many college students, Carol Lee

says it feels like she is helping to raise other people’s children. There are also legacy employees from time to time, people whose parents also worked for Woodstock’s when they themselves were in college.

Suds & Suds, a small tavern in the same building as Woodstock’s, offers beers on tap, bottled beer, cider and wine. Pizza can be taken into Suds & Suds and beverages from there can be ordered in the restaurant.

Next time you are looking for a place to enjoy some great pizza, try Woodstock’s.

Takeout is available and delivery is offered in Corvallis and you can call in your order so it’s ready when you get there. Visit http://www.woodstocks.com/ to learn more about the company and to view their full menu.

Carol Lee said she really likes the Corvallis area and feels it is home. “It’s a great place to be.”

A Corvallis Original creating custom built, quality pizza. Since opening in 1977, we have offered choices like: white or whole-wheat crust, a variety of freshly prepared toppings, and dine-in, pick-up or free delivery (to most of Corvallis).

Now we offer many more topping & sauce choices as well as gluten-free & vegan options daily, and still free delivery (to most of an expanded Corvallis).

Locally Owned & Operated!

We are not the fastest – our employees hand roll our fresh dough, pile on your topping choices and cook your pizza after you have placed your order (no premade /precooked shortcuts here) – but we do strive to be the best.

Albany’s only funeral home with a crematory.

541(926-5541) www.aasum-dufour.com 805 Ellsworth St SW, Albany

A CORVALLIS ORIGINAL

Kristal Dufour Owner/Funeral Director

Woodstock’s: Serving and Supporting the Corvallis community for over 40 years!

541-752-5151 • 1045 NW Kings Blvd. • Corvallis

Wednesday, June 19, 2019 | 3

FAMILY AND LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESS

Small businesses update their cultures The ‘old school’ way may not work with employees today JOYCE M. ROSENBERG

Associated Press‌

Meloney Perry once worked at a traditional big law firm with a formal, corporate atmosphere, and knew she wanted a different culture at her own firm.

“I learned the ‘old school’ way, but it’s changed,” says Perry, founder of Perry Law in Dallas. “Nowadays, with the employees coming in younger, you do have to have more of a family feel.”

That means allowing more casual attire when clients aren’t around, and giving staffers laptops so they don’t have to work long hours at their desks.

“They want to be home. They want to be watching the playoffs while they work,” Perry says.

Small businesses’ cultures are becoming a bigger priority as more owners respond

to the dramatically different expectations of a younger work force and a low unemployment rate and shrinking labor pool that make it harder to find staffers.

In a survey released last fall by Bank of America, a quarter of the 1,067 owners surveyed said they were shifting to more flexible cultures in hopes of attracting the workers they want. Companies are creating environments that recognize staffers’ need for growth in their careers, more balance between their work and personal lives and open communication. And to have a role in the company’s direction — employTONY GUTIERREZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS‌ ees don’t want to just do their work and keep quiet.

Business owner Meloney Perry, center right, of Perry Law, speaks with members of her staff “They want to feel appreciated and be — including attorney Karla Roush, left front, office manager Lisa Amerson, left rear, paralegal included in the firm decisions,” Perry says. Michelle Smith, center left, and paralegal Brooke Bailey, right — as they congregate May 14 in the kitchen area of her law firm in Dallas. Small businesses’ cultures are becoming a bigger Please see CULTURE, Page A4 priority as more owners respond to the different expectations of a younger workforce.

Come visit us at the corner of Knox Butte and Century Drive in Albany!

End of Spring Sale!

Sale Ends July 9th

333 Lyon Street SE Albany, OR 97321 541.926.9000

1495 South Main Lebanon, OR 97355 541-258-7416

315 Commercial St SE Salem, OR 97301 503-468-5558

www.willamettecommunitybank.com

With more than 54 years of experience selling the best soil in the Valley, we are ready to help you tackle any landscaping or gardening project! In addition to our rock, bark, soil, and compost selections we offer a full line of landscape plants from perennials and herbs to shade, fruit, and ornamental trees. We also offer a wide selection of berries and unusual edibles as well as a full complement of fertilizers, tools, and pest and disease control. We are the home of the finest organic soils and compost in the valley! We are also licensed, bonded, and insured to do landscape and irrigation installation as well as

certified backflow testing!

Bank Local. Shop Local.

Member FDIC

40% OFF ALL VEGETABLES AND ANNUALS

20% OFF 1 GALLON PERENNIALS, SHRUBS, ROSES & BERRIES

WE CARRY HI-YIELD & FERTILOME PRODUCTS

Give us a call at (541)928-3448!

Bus. Lic. #5764

4 | Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Culture From A3

They also need an atmosphere that’s less rigid than old-style corporate environments. Owners have come to recognize that reading personal email, texting friends and doing online searches for personal matters are a part of life, and not just for younger people. Baby boomer staffers are just as likely to be checking their phones periodically during the day as their younger colleagues are.

Guy Fardone recognizes that younger employees, those known as millennials, are in some regards more openly ambitious than baby boomers or Generation Xers, people who are now in their 40s and 50s.

They want to know what their next move is.

“Many millennials thrive on continuous growth opportunities, which could take many forms: learning a new technology, getting a technical certification or getting the nod to lead a project or opportunities to advance,” says Fardone, owner of Evolve IP, an information technology company based in Wayne, Pennsylvania.

Owners who want a good culture will need to be aware of their interactions with staffers — what they do can have a greater

FAMILY AND LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESS

“Many millennials thrive on continuous growth opportunities, which could take many forms: learning a new technology, getting a technical certification or getting the nod to lead a project or opportunities to advance.”

Guy Fardone, owner of Evolve IP, an information technology company based in Wayne, Pennsylvania impact than what they say.

“Your values really emerge from how you behave,” says Tony Fross, who advises clients on workplace practices for the consulting firm Prophet.

For example, micromanagers need to understand they’ll get more out of their staffers by giving them autonomy, Fross says.

“People live down to your expectations rather than up to them” when they’re overcontrolled, Fross says. “You need to give people incentives and make it easy from a decision-making perspective to do the things you want them to do.”

Culture isn’t something many entrepreneurs think of when launching their companies, but many realize as they begin

hiring that it needs to be a priority.

“You think so much about the bottom line and being able to expand and hire that you don’t always consider other factors,” says David Wurst, who says he had no idea about how to develop a company culture when he launched WebCitz, a website development company based in Appleton, Wisconsin. But as he began hiring staffers, prospective employees asked him about the company culture, and also said they hated the suffocating atmosphere at the jobs they were leaving.

Wurst educated himself by reading about what constitutes a good company culture. He learned “the managers of a business have to understand employees deserve respect and encouragement in or-

der to thrive in their positions, which will help the company as a whole.”

So Wurst aims at giving employees opportunities to make a meaningful contribution to the company’s growth. He also tries to create a warm and congenial workplace; he takes staffers out for lunch to celebrate successful project launches and is flexible about staffers’ personal time.

Melinda Byerley learned from a former employer that a good company culture recognizes staffers as humans with anger and other emotions not always welcome in the workplace.

“We ask everyone to own those emotions and use them productively — whether that’s taking a short break or the afternoon off, to admit that something triggers or upsets them, or however they process and deal with those emotions,” says Byerley, owner of TimeShare CMO, a digital marketing company based in San Francisco.

Byerley, who has a staff of about 20, also has created what she calls the Rage Cage, a messaging channel where everyone can vent.

“I’m modeling productive behavior as well as making a psychologically safe space for others to acknowledge the very real emotions that come with all humans,” she says.

PROUDLY SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES

SINCE 1950

FAMILY & LOCALLY OWNED SINCE 1981

Charlie Eads, Owner

EADS BROADCASTING CORPORATION • 541-926-8683

Wednesday, June 19, 2019 | 5

FAMILY AND LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESS

Family-owned Rife’s continues to grow Stores emphasize US-made furniture, community bonds KAY ROTH

Mid-Valley Media Group‌

‌A

s a young man, Kevin Rife became a student of the furniture industry.

He said he always knew he wanted to one day have his own furniture store and that learning the ropes was an end to the means. He had been in waterbed sales in Washington for 14 years when he decided it was time to move back home to Oregon — “I was born and raised in Eugene,” he said — to pursue his dream.

That move in 1998 back to Oregon has paid off for him, his wife, Tammy and their children. Albany, Corvallis, Lebanon, Springfield, Eugene, Roseburg and Coos Bay are all home to Rife’s Home Furniture and Mattress stores. All of the stores are at least 16,000 square feet, offering shoppers a variety of merchandise to choose from.

According to Tammy, “Our goal at Rife’s has always been to provide a selection of quality furniture at great prices, and to ensure a positive store experience for all of our customers.” The couple not only want their customers to be happy with their shopping experiences and purchases, they want them to be delighted.

Rife’s has a reputation for being a store that sells great products at great prices.

With a visit to one of the stores or to the company’s website, it’s easy to see that the Rifes are living up to that reputation.

In addition to great products, the company also provides customer service that makes people want to come back again and again to fill their furniture and mattress

needs. Customers who have left Google reviews have appreciated the amazing customer service they have received and how pleased they are with the overall experience of shopping at Rife’s. The Rife’s sales team at each location is ready to provide customers with the information they need to make the purchases that are right for them.

Rife’s is also proud to be able to offer customers the chance to purchase items made in Oregon. For example, Stanton, a family owned manufacturer in Tualatin, has been making furniture for over 40 years. Rife’s carries a wide variety of Stanton furniture in each showroom. According to the company website, “We make a point of offering quality American-made furniture, with a special emphasis on local production.”

Thankful for the support of the communities where they are located, Rife’s is happy to be able to give back by supportPROVIDED PHOTO‌ ing charities in those areas. The company The Rife family is seen in this photo.

Rife’s Home Furniture and Mattress stores, founded by works closely with organizations that Kevin and Tammy Rife, can be found throughout western Oregon. support women trying to conquer addiction, men and women in Lane County with developmental disabilities, those facing homelessness and Food for Lane County in their work to eliminate hunger. According to Kevin Rife, the company recently donated over 50 mattresses for bunk beds for kids. The company also supports Wounded Warriors and Teen Challenge.

Visit the company’s website (https:// www.rifeshomefurnitureonline.com) to When you shop with us, you’re learn more about this locally owned, family business. You can see what is currently choosing a family-owned, in stock, what is expected to arrive soon, independent, Oregon grocer that and learn more about the store nearest you. believes in buying and carrying

Local Market.

Local Products.

Wonderful Jewelry & Clothes for Women

local foods, including more than 7,000 products from Oregon farmers, ranchers and food producers. In addition, we’re proud to support the community by donating food and raising funds for food banks, like Linn Benton Food Share.

Fun Gifts & Hats for Men Too! OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!

145 NW 2nd St, Corvallis 541-754-1424

marketofchoice.com | 922 NW Circle Blvd., Corvallis | Open 7 am–11 pm daily

Marni Furse is a Market of Choice Wine Steward at our Corvallis store.

6 | Wednesday, June 19, 2019

FAMILY AND LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESS

Business owners upbeat about prospects But they’re also struggling to get loans JOYCE M. ROSENBERG

Associated Press ‌

Small business owners are upbeat about their companies’ prospects even as they have a harder time getting bank loans.

That’s the finding of a secondquarter survey of owners by researchers at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School and Dun & Bradstreet Corp.

Small business owners expect their annual revenue to rise 10.2%, a more upbeat view than the 9% they forecast in the first quarter; over the previous 12 months, these companies had an average 4.5% revenue gain. Midsize companies forecast a 7.3% gain, down slightly from 7.5%; their revenue rose 7.7% on average in the past 12 months.

The researchers considered small businesses to be those with under $5 million in revenue. Mid-

sized businesses are those with between $5 million and $100 million in revenue.

The results are in line with other surveys in recent months; owners are optimistic about their companies even if credit is harder to get or the economy looks to be weaker. Many owners have faith in their own ability to help their companies’ growth rather than government officials or banks.

Small business owners are optimistic in spite of the fact they’re having a harder time getting loans.

Sixty percent said it was difficult to get debt financing, a considerable increase from 52% in the previous survey. Mid-size businesses also found it harder to get loans: a third said it was difficult versus 17%in the first quarter.

Bank loans are harder to get, not surprising given that interest rates have been rising in response to the Federal Reserve’s rate hikes. which have been put on hold for the time being. Among small businesses,

31.6% said they were successful getting bank loans, down sharply from 43.9% in the first quarter. It was also more difficult for midsize companies, with just under 89% reporting success, down from 94.7%.

The difficulty in getting bank loans was also reflected in the fact they weren’t the most soughtafter form of financing during the past three months, after having been No. 1 for years. Business credit cards were most popular among all businesses who wanted financing, pursued by 52.8% of the companies. Bank loans were in second place, sought by 45.4%, with personal credit cards in third at 43.2%. But going forward, of the businesses that expect to seek financing in the next six months, 70% said they will likely seek bank loans.

The survey conducted between mid-April and mid-May questioned 848 companies in Dun & Bradstreet’s database.

Full line Old-FashiOned hObby shOp since 1972

Radio ContRol • CaRs • Boats • aiRplanes HeliCopteRs • Model tRains • GaMes Kites • RoCKets • puzzles • paints p sCienCe • aRt Kits • Yo-Yo’s slinKies • paRts aRts & aCCessoRies

TRUMP’S HOBBIES

rt uppo & We S lubs C , s l ut o Scho Througho t& ps Grou lley, Coas a The V State

Timberhill imberhill Shopping Center • Corvallis Cor • 541-753-7540

Since our family f started the nursery over ver 80 years ago, four generations have poured our passion for gardening into our local community. Still family owned and operated, we are here to help you create beautiful and bountiful gardens.

5470 NE Hwy 20, Corvallis 97330 • (541) 753-6601

GarlandNursery.com

Wednesday, June 19, 2019 | 7

FAMILY AND LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESS

Sport & Spine emphasizes patients, community KAY ROTH

Mid-Valley Media Group‌

‌A

pair of physical therapists opened a clinic in Corvallis in 2005 with the goal of putting patients’ needs first and providing a more complete way of delivering physical therapy.

One of the owners, Carrol Esterhuizen, a veteran physical therapist, said: “In 2005, we opened our first location in Corvallis and were seeing many patients travel to Corvallis to see us from Albany. We had many requests from patients to come to Albany.”

So, in 2013, Albany Sport and Spine opened in North Albany, to better serve patients in Albany and the surrounding communities.

Both Esterhuizen and her business partner, Laura Hoffman, have called the midvalley their homes.

“We are two moms who are proud to call the Willamette Valley our home. Fifteen years ago we wanted to start our own company, where we could treat patients independently and make them feel like they are the kings and queens of the USA when they come in,” Esterhuizen said.

Everyone at the clinic is very connected to the mid-valley, she said. “We are local, we are sisters in business and love our work family and community. Some of our employees have been with us for 15 years.”

Esterhuizen and Hoffman love to support the area where they live and work. “We give back to our community financially.”

Plus, everyone in the company volunteers locally.

“We have raised our children here and our roots run deep,” Esterhuizen said.

Esterhuizen is the managing partner at the Albany office. In addition to her administrative work, she continues to care for patients. All of the therapists at Albany Sport & Spine are board certified and are continually learning about the newest treatments

FILE, MID-VALLEY MEDIA‌

Albany Sport & Spine co-owners Laura Hoffman, left, and Carrol Esterhuizen call themselves sisters in business.

more, the questions come from patients and staff members. All answers come from the therapists.

When is the right time to seek physical therapy? According to Esterhuizen, it’s whenever something is stopping a person from living life to its fullest.

One thing people might not be aware of is that in Oregon, you can see a physical therapist without a physician’s referral and most insurances cover treatment.

“Our motto is to work, live, play...again,” Esterhuizen said. “We want to make sure that is the end result for each person that walks through our doors.”

Esterhuizen loves her community. “Albany is tops. We love this community, our patients and physicians, medical and health professionals who have been instrumental in referring happy patients to us.”

She said that it is a combination of staff, patients and Albany that has made Albany Sport & Spine such a success. “It takes good service, phenomenal staff and a great community, with blessing sprinkled on top to make an independent and locally owned business run successfully.”

offered in their field. on the clinic’s website is a section called Ask The clinic provides a variety of services a Pro. Offering information on topics such for a variety of people, from weekend as shoulders, women’s health, exercise and warriors and professional athletes to new mothers and people recovering from accidents.

“We live in a very active and hard-working community, people love to play as hard as they work and we want to help them stay that way,” Esterhuizen said.

In their continued efforts to offer the best physical therapy in the valley, the company 4050 Old Salem Rd. NE, Millersburg Oregon just broke ground on a new building in (541) 926-7773 North Albany. Esterhuizen explained that Come join us for our 6th Annual BBQ the growth of the clinic and the “excellent support of the community,” the company and celebrate the only convenience felt it was time to expand. “Don’t worry, store in Millersburg. you will still be able to find us because we will just be across the parking lot from our Saturday June 29 current location.”

11:00AM to 4:00PM One of the things that patients can find

Quality Products & A Whole Lot More!

Since 1982

Celebrating 5 years of service

541-248-3561 Purveyors of Quality Menswear Casual and everything in between Casual to Formal For Tha hank you for supporting our locally owned Menswear shop!

We look forward to helping you look your best.

www.TheNattyDresser.com 425 1st Avenue W. Historic Downtown Albany

8 | Wednesday, June 19, 2019

FAMILY AND LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESS

for all of your support for the last 20 years! Special thanks to the folks in our newest location in Lebanon for being so welcoming and coming in to say Hi! Being a Family owned Oregon born retailer just wanting to support our communities and blessed to have you all support us and all of our employees families. Thank You!!

The Rife’s

Albany • 541.248.3916 • 1884 Fescue St. S.E. • Monday -Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 11am-5pm Coos Bay • 541.266.7376 • 187 S 2nd St. • Monday -Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 11am-5pm Corvallis • 541.758.2020 • 29789 Corvallis Hwy. 34 S.W. • Monday -Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 11am-5pm Eugene • 541.302.9328 • 150 Oakway Rd • Monday -Friday 10am-7pm, Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 11am-5pm Roseburg • 541.671.2493 • 2455 Harvard Ave. • Monday- Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 11am-5pm Springfield • 541.868.1718 • 1186 Gateway Loop • Mon.- Thu.& Sat. 10am-6pm, Fri. 10am-7pm, Sun. 11am-5pm Eugene • 541.485.0170 • 475 Valley River Center • Monday- Saturday 10am-9pm, Sunday 11am-7pm The Rife’s Home Furniture credit card is issued by Wells Fargo Bank, N. A. Special terms for 5 Years (60 months) apply to qualifying purchase of $1999 or more charged with approved credit. The special terms APR will continue to apply until all qualifying purchases are paid in full. The monthly payment for this purchase will be the amount that will pay for the purchase in full in equal payments during the promotional (special terms) period. The APR for Purchases will apply to certain fees such as a late payment fee or if you use the card for other transactions. For new accounts, the APR for Purchases is 28.99%. If you are charged interest in any billing cycle, the minimum interest charge will be $1.00. This information is accurate as of 12/01/2018 and is subject to change. For current information, call us at 1-800-431-5921. Free delivery within our local delivery area. Minimum purchase $799 required. Offer valid while supplies last. Certain offers may not be combined. Not valid on prior purchases. See store for availability and details.

Find us on the web at: www.rifeshomefurnitureonline.com

Limited time offers. See store for details.